Massacre Falls Hike

Where this trail gets its name is a bit of a mystery. Prior to the Mexican-American War of 1846, this area was part of Mexico. Among the families that once lived in this area were the Peralta Family. If you are familiar with the Phoenix area of the state, you will recognize the name. Numerous trails, landmarks and shops share the namesake. Legend has it, after the war ended, the Mexican families in the area encountered Native American Tribes where what is now considered, Massacre Grounds. Some say the Native American Tribes drove the Mexican families off local cliffs. Some say they simply drove them off the land and stole the Mexican gold. We may never know. One thing we do know, the area where the event I mentioned took place is not located on this trail system.

Aside from such a complex history, the trail sounded really good on paper. Navigating your way there is very easy as well as following a well-marked path. Much like every trail in this area, you will hike through sand, climb over some rock, dodge cactus and even scale up a few sharp rock faces. Nothing too advanced but take caution and wear good hiking boots.

From the parking area to the falls, the trail is roughly 2.7 miles with 1,200 feet of elevation gain. Quickly after I started the hike, I met a new friend. She joined me all the way to the falls and back. I even snagged a picture of me at the falls. It’s pretty rare I get a photo of me doing stuff like this. I prefer being on the other side of the camera.

This area receives a good amount of rain which is why the waterfall is usually flowing. We didn’t have a ton of flow when we arrived but it was still a refreshing lunch break. I plan on coming back after a good rain to really see the falls flowing.

You know you’re on the right trail when you pass through this fence opening.